Page 165 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Investigating the Mystery of the Talking Plant
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of them, he noticed as he alighted from his own, was an emergency
medical unit from the local PKU exobiology section. No doubt,
thought Kaga, some emissary ate or drank something it shouldn’t have
at the opening, and was now having the contents of one or more of its
stomachs unceremoniously pumped out.
He went first to the large doors of the main exhibition hall, but
found them locked; from a placard on the wall he learned that he had
arrived earlier than the daily opening time. After noting that twenty-
four hour Galactic Standard Time was observed on Pontenga, he
walked to the entrance to the PKU area on his left. The door slid open
almost immediately after he placed his thumb on the identity sensor,
and he entered a small reception room. The door on his right was
already open and Lieutenant Lugo came rushing out to greet him.
“Captain Kaga! You made it! What happened to your ship? Sorry
you missed the opening, but at least you’re here. Come into
Commander Quex’s office—one of our guests has just had a fatal
accident.”
Kaga followed him back into the office on his right. It was sparsely
but tastefully furnished with kilsitwood desk, table, and chairs. To the
rear of the desk was another door; Kaga, from his memory of the
Center’s layout, guessed that behind it were the Commander’s private
quarters. Quex himself was a tall human, graying at the temples and
exuding an aura of well-bred competence. Kaga decided on first glance
that the PKU had picked the right man for the job.
“Pleased to meet you, Captain,’’ said Quex affably. “Unfortunately
you have arrived on the scene of a most tragic occurrence. Bulakko,
the emissary from Tzigi, was found dead this morning in his suite. The
artificial gravity control on his inner chamber seems to have
malfunctioned, causing the poor creature to be crushed and strangled
by his own limbs.”
“Tzigi?” said Captain Kaga. “Isn’t that the planet just recently
brought into the PKU trade network? I seem to recall hearing about
some strange plant that grows there.”
“Indeed,” said Quex, his expression shifting to fit the change in
subject. “You are remarkably well-informed for a retired officer. In
fact, Bulakko was the first of his race ever to leave the surface of his
planet. This will be very difficult to explain to the rulers of Tzigi. I
hope—”

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